America West faces federal maintenance deadline

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Monday, Aug. 28, 2000 | 11:21 a.m.

PHOENIX -- Federal regulators are threatening to ground America West's planes unless the airline proves within a week that it has completed maintenance on a quarter of its fleet.

A warning issued Friday by the Federal Aviation Administration expressed concern about deferred maintenance and poor oversight of heavy maintenance overhauls conducted by outside vendors.

Based on an audit and review, "we have serious concerns about America West's continuous airworthiness maintenance program," David Gillom, the FAA's flight standards division manager, said in a letter.

The agency, however, found no flight safety issues.

The Phoenix-based airline must show it has completed the checks on 35 of its 130 planes, the FAA said.

America West President Douglas Parker contends that the airline has completed the required maintenance and can prove it. America West is the second-busiest carrier at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.